Question: First consider the expression for: Take the product of $5$ and $x$ and add $-7$. Now select the answer that matches the following: The sum of $-8$ and the product of $3$ and that expression.
Let's break this problem into smaller and easier pieces. What is the product of $5$ and $x$ $5 \times x = \color{orange}{5x}$ What does adding $-7$ to $5x$ do? $5x$ $ - 7$ What is the quantity of $3$ times that expression $3 \times (5x - 7) = \color{orange}{3(5x-7)}$ What is the sum of $-8$ and $\color{orange}{3(5x-7)}$ $3(5x-7)$ $ - 8$ So the entire expression we're considering can be written as $3(5x-7)-8$.